Apparatus for heating liquids



Nov. 1, 1932.

R. c. SUTTON 1,885,305

APPARATUS FOR HEATING LIQUIDS Filed June 24, 1929 V a A 7 Z5 28 26 w 27 LEI [5 l4 lo V V i INVENTOR BY Roy C5utton A TTORNE y Patented Nov. 1, 1932 YPATNT QF CE.

, 30v orsntrrorr,ornmvnnsrrr C'ITY, issouiui j '4 iarranarus Eon EATING} mourns Application filed J'une 24, 13399 SeriaINe. 373,117. Y

- This'invention relates tonew and novel improvements in apparatus for heating liquid 15 at" an even temperature.

andfor controlling the temperature thereof; and while'intended for use generally wherof a liquid and to maintain the same at a f certain temperature without introducing the steam directly into the tube or container whereby fine fabricsor other articles in'the r denote awashing' machine casing or other container will not-be subjected to extreme heat by being brought into direct contact ivv'ith'the steam.- i

' A further object is to provide a thermostatically operated valve and valve regulating 1 meansfor apparatus of the character de- -"scribed whereby'the valve'may be accurately regulated to quickly raise'the liquid to a certain desired temperature andmaintain the same at said temperature.

7 An additional object is toprov-ide new and improved means for heating water or other liquid in atubor other container by theuse of steamiwhich is "discharged in a mixing 1 pipe so as to cause the liquid within the tank to'flow to'and from the heating device whereby the same will be thoroughly mixed and maintained in a thoroughly mixed" condition Theabove objects are accomplished and additional ends are attained the novel construction, combination and arrangement o p'eratively connected to the pipe 14 and'to the pipe 16 which" leads from a boiler or '7 other'source of steam under pressure. The .-valve;15 includes astem -19 whichis longiof parts hereinafter described and illustrated "a: in ;the-c= accompanying drawing, wherein I V have shown a preferred form of the inven- .tion, it being understood that the invention is capable ofvarious adaptations and may be used indiiferentways for a variety of purposesand that changes and modifications the claims hereunto appended.

ever it maybe advantageously applied,it is j relatively smaller pipe 13 is secured'in the pipe 14 so as to project through the coupling maybe made which come within the scope of ln'the drawing there is illustrated a washing machinejequipp'ed with a heating device,

constructed in accordance with this invention, like characters of reference being employed to denote like parts as the samemay appear in any of the several views and in v which Figure 1 is a vertical,'longitudinal sectional View showing a portion of a washing" machine fitted with a heating device constructed in accordance withthis invention,

I Figure2is a side elevational view partly in vertical section,{sliowing one formof thereu -mostati'cally operated valve rying'out the: invention employedfin' car- Proceeding' now to a detailed description of the invention with reference to the pare ticular adaptation-thereof; disclosed in the f drawing, the numeral 5 is used generally to container. "The casing 5 providedin the 7 lower wall thereof with the openings 6 and 7 which are formed therein in spaced rela-Ty,

5 'pro-jectdownwardly in parallel, spaced relation to each other; Thenume'ral IOdenotes horizontal pipe which is provided at one end thereof with an elbow 11in which the vertical pipe 8 is 'operativelyseeured. A 'cou-,

pling 12'is operatively secured to the other I end of the horizontal'section l 'O'and the vertical pipe9a ThecOupIing 12'is also provided with ah'orizontal nipple 12a which 'is coaxially arrange'dr'ela'tive to thepipe 10 and a pipe '14 is: operativelysecured thereinflA 12 into the pipe 10, e

The numeral 15 denotes a valvewhich is t'udinally movable to close the opening 15;. The valve 15 is preferably's'ecured'to a rigido lows or longitudinal expansible casing. One end of the bellows 23 is secured to the frame 3 1; the other end of the bellows being secured to the valve stem 19 whereby an expansion or contraction of the bellows 23 will cause the stem 19 to be moved in accordance therewith. In the drawing, 1 have shown a bellows 23 of cylindrical form having circumfercntially corrugated side walls and having a lower end wall secured between the plates 24 and 25 by means of the nuts 19a and 26 which are threaded on the stem 19. A tube 17 communicates with the cavity of the bellows 23 and terminates in an end portion 1.8 which extends into the cavity of the container 5. The

- tube18 contains a volatile liquid which possesses the property of vaporization at a relatively low temperature and which when heat- 20 ed by a liquid within the tank 5 expands and closes the valve head or needle 19 thus operating the valve and stopping the flow of steam, into the pipe 10. As soon as the liquid within the tank cools sufficiently to raise the valve head 19, steam will flow from the pipe 16 through the valve 15 and be discharged through the pipe 13 into the pipe 10. The steam thus discharged through the pipe 14 will force the liquid in the pipe 10 upwardly through the pipe 8 into the tank 5. This discharge also causes water in the tank to flow downwardly through the pipe 9 into the pipe 10, thus forming acontinuous circulation of the liquid within the tank. The numeral 27 denotes a coil spring which is positioned around the stem19 so as to bear against the plate 25. The other end of the spring 27 is positioned in a suitable seat on the member 28 which isprovided with an opening through which the rod 19 is extended. The member 28 is fulcrumed on the frame 34 as at 29. The cam 30 is operatively mounted to bear against the outwardly projecting end of the member 28. -The cam 30 is mounted on the shaft 31 and the other end of the shaft 31 is provided with a lever or handle 21 which is positioned on a dial 20. The dial 20 is provided with suitable characters indicating a degree of temperature required within the container 5. The lever 21 when moved in one direction will force the member 28 against the spring 27, thus restraining the expansion 1 of the bellows 23. It will be seen that when the spring 27 is compressed to exert an increased force on thelower face of the bellows 23 that a greater temperature will be required within the container 5 to close the valve 15.

It will be seen that with the indicator 21 set at any temperature, the device will operate automatically to maintain a liquid in a tank 5 at said temperature. If it is desired to lower the temperature the regulator 21 may be set at the desired point or the valve 22 operated toclose thepipe 16.

lVith the device installed in a washing machine as above described, the desired quantity of water is placed in the casing 5 and the articles to be washed are placed in the rotor 23. The machine is then operated to wash the articles in cold water which prevents a setting of stains from spots caused by deposits of alubumin, blood or any substance which will coagulate in hot water. The water is then drawn off and the desired quantity of fresh water is placed in the casing and the in- 7 dicator 21 on the dial 20 is then turned to a higher temperature, say F., thus causing steam to be discharged into the pipe 10. The water is thus quickly circulated and heated so that the temperature of the water in the casing 5 is raised to 90. The machine is operated at a temperatureof 90for about ten minutes when the water is drawn 01f.

Soapy water is then placed in the casing 5 and the indicator 21 on the dial 20 is turned to say 140" F. This opens the valve head 19 and causes a discharge of steam in the pipe 10 which quickly raises the temperature of the water in the casing 5 to 140 F. The machine is then operated for 10 or 15 min-5, utes and the water is again drawn from the casing 5. A soapy water solution is then placed in the casing 5 and the indicator 21 on the dial 20 is turned to a higher temperature, say 180 F. This opens the valve 15 and causes the steam to be discharged by the pipe 13 thus rapidly raising the tempera ture of the liquid in the casing 5, to 180 F. and maintaining the same at said temperature. After the machine is thus operated for a sufficient period of time to thoroughly wash tle articles in the rotor 23, the water is drawn 0 The indicator 21 on the dial 20 is then turned to a low temperature or the valvez 22 is operated to close the pipe 16 and a quantity of rinse water is placed in the casing 5. The machine is operated for the proper length of time and the rinse water is drawn off, thus completing the washing op-- eration.

While the heating element employed has been herein designated as steam, it is understood that the term is intended to include any suitable form of fluid suitable for heating purposes and while the preferred form of the invention includes the mixing pipe 10, the quickly changeable, thermostatically controlled valve herein illustrated and described may also be used to introduce steam direct ly into the container or to heat the same by means of coils or other suitable steam operated means.

It will thus be seen'that the invention provides extremely simple, highly efficient means for heating water or other liquid to the desired temperature, for automatically maintaining the same at said temperature and for quickly changing said temperature.

. Having thus illustrated my invention and described the same in detail, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the character described, an expansible bellows, a tube communicating with the cavity of said bellows, an expansible element in said tube, a valve, means to hold one end of said bellows in fixed'relation to said valve, said valve having a stem secured to the other end of said bellows, a spring for restraining the action of said bellows and means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means including a movable member bearing against said spring, a cam for moving said member and a lever for operating said cam.

2. In a device of the character described,

an expansible bellows, a tube communicating with the cavity of said bellows, an expansible element in said tube, a valve, said valve having a stem secured to one end of said bellows, a spring for restraining'the action of said bellows and means for regulating the tension of said spring, said means including a movable member bearing, against said spring, a cam for moving said member, a lever for operating said cam and means associated with said lever for indicating the temperature conditions obtainable by movement thereof to certain points.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set 7 my hand. 7

ROY C. SUTTON. 

